New York's Eternal Flame is one of the most bizarre and niche attractions in the state, and it is easy enough to hike to.
One of the most unusual natural attractions in the United States has to be the Eternal Flame Falls in the state of New York. Here one will find a small flickering flame around 8 inches high at the base of the falls. The Eternal Flame Falls may remind people of Turkmenistan's bizarre Gates of Hell - a gas well that has been burning for decades and refuses to be extinguished.
One of the other one-of-a-kind attractions in Upstate New York is the world's oldest forest at an old abandoned quarry in Cairo (around 40 miles south of Albany). Another particular natural attraction is the boiling river in the jungle of Peru - whose secrets have finally been solved. Sometimes nature and fact can be stranger than fiction.
Eternal Flame Falls Is Really Home To An (Almost) Eternal Flame!
At the base of the Eternal Flame Falls is a small grotto that emits natural gas. The gas can be lit, and it produces a small eight-inch flame that is visible nearly year-round.
Most things claimed to be eternal seem to come to an end. For example, Rome was known as the "Eternal City," but it came to an end (or at least lost its place as the capital of the empire and shrank from around 500,000 in the Roman Empire to around 30,000 or so in the Medieval period). And all of the eternal flames of the Olympics and temples have gone out. So, does New York's Eternal Flame ever go out?
The answer to that is yes. The flame does get extinguished from time to time and needs to be re-lit.
There are stories that the flame was lit thousands of years ago by Native Americans. But sometimes facts get in the way of a good story, and it turns out that hikers sometimes relight the flame. The Eternal Flame is not unique, and there are other similar attractions found around the world - like the Hot Spring Eternal Flame in Taiwan (which is said to have been burning for around 300 years now).
So just as Rome is once again a bustling capital city, New York's Eternal Flame may fade, but one can be sure it will always come back.
What To Know Of The Gas Seeping Up At The Eternal Flame Falls
The gases seeping through at Eternal Flame Falls have higher concentrations of ethane and propane than other known gas seeps. It is estimated that around one kilogram or 2.2 lbs of methane escape from the seep here every day. It is thought the gases come up from the Rhinestreet Shale, that's located around 1,300 feet or 400 meters underground.
The coolness of the gas and the shallowness of the source has been something of a puzzle to scientists. The exact mechanism responsible for the continuous gas generation at depth remains something of a mystery.
- Amount: Around 1 kg or 2.2 lbs
The seep is not unique, and there are plenty of other micro seeps in the area around the falls (although these are not lit with 'eternal flames').
Planning A Visit To The Eternal Flame Falls
The Eternal Flame Falls is only a small waterfall and is located in Chestnut Ridge Park in Upstate New York.
The Eternal Flame waterfall itself is a 35-foot-high waterfall and is open to the public. The access trail to Eternal Flame Falls has been improved. It is only half a mile hike to get to the waterfall and should be on anyone's bucket list. Keep in mind that it can get quite muddy when the weather is wet, so wear a good pair of hiking boots. Waterproof boots are better as one is likely to be walking and out of the creek.
The hike goes through a beautiful pine forest. The hike has been described as somewhat strenuous, and hikers need to go downhill most of the way there and then back uphill most of the way back.
- Waterfall Height: 35 Feet
- Cost: Free
Eternal Flame Falls is considered one of the more obscure attractions in the state, although increased media attention has led to an increased amount of visitors. Unfortunately, this can lead to an increase in litter and impacts the surrounding environment. Remember the golden rule when hiking through nature - take only pictures and leave nothing but footprints (and perhaps an 'eternal flame' if it happens to be out when one gets there).
While the Eternal Flame Falls may not be anything too special in itself, it is arguably one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Upstate New York on account of its "eternal flame." While exploring Upstate New York, be sure to take the time to explore the picturesque Catskills region of the state.
